Tag: Rafi And Klee

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Why Spreading Good Vibes is Our Only Golden Rule

If you’ve been hanging out in our corner of the internet for a while, you probably know that Klee and I operate on a pretty simple philosophy. Whether we are slapping paint on a canvas, forging sterling silver jewelry, writing books, editing videos, making music, or just chatting with someone at an art night, we follow one non-negotiable golden rule:

Put GOOD VIBES into the world.

It sounds simple, right? But let’s be honest for a second, everywhere you look right now, it can feel like the world is running on a steady diet of gloom, doom, and chaos. You open your phone for two seconds just to look at a picture of a cute dog, and suddenly you’re sucked into a vortex of existential dread.

A man with a white wig and lab coat poses dramatically next to a woman in a lab coat wearing a fake mustache, with laboratory equipment in the background.

So why do we double down on joy, hope, and good vibes when the world feels so discouraging?

The Outrage Machine: Popular, Exhausting, and Totally Fake

Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t crappy people or crappy things going on in the world. We’re not here to pretend everything is sunshine and rainbows 100% of the time, or that bad stuff doesn’t happen. Life can be tough, messy, and unfair.

But have you ever wondered why fear-mongering and rage bait seem to dominate every single feed?

Here’s the secret: anger and fear are cheap thrills for algorithms. Loud, scary headlines get clicks. Rage gets comments. Drama keeps people glued to screens. Whole industries are built around keeping you spiked on adrenaline and feeling like the sky is falling twenty-four hours a day. It makes a lot of money for said companies and individuals.

An artist stands in a brightly lit gallery space, wearing a bandana and a t-shirt. Colorful artwork is displayed on the walls, including a painting of a turtle. The artist has paint-splattered jeans and is positioned near a purple couch and patterned chairs.

But here’s the truth that nobody in the outrage business wants you to realize, It’s a giant waste of your precious time, and it’s NOT as real as it seems.

The internet wants you to believe that everyone is at each other’s throats, that kindness is dead, and that everything is falling apart. But when you step away from the screen and walk out into the real world, you see a completely different story. You see neighbors helping neighbors, people making art just to share a smile, folks giggling at silly jokes, and humans being fundamentally good, warm, and creative.

Rage bait is a noisy illusion. Real life happens in the quiet, wonderful moments of connection, laughter, and creation.

Why Hope and Happiness Are Rebellious Powers

A group of people attending a gathering in a room, with a man in the foreground smiling at the camera. Participants are seated at tables, some engaging in conversation, with various items on the tables and a camera setup.

Choosing to be happy, hopeful, and kind isn’t about ignoring life’s problems or putting on rose-colored glasses. It’s an active, rebellious choice.

When you choose to broadcast good vibes, here’s what actually happens:

  • It Creates a Genuine Chain Reaction: Energy is contagious. When you share a heartfelt smile, create something with love, or offer a genuine compliment, you shift the energy of everyone around you. That person goes home and passes it on. You literally ripple positivity outward.
  • It Fuels Creativity and Resilience: Fear freezes you up; joy unlocks you. When you’re anchored in hope, you have the courage to try new things, make mistakes, build communities, and create art that lifts others up.
  • It Reminds People They Aren’t Alone: In a world that often feels cold, being a light for someone else is one of the most powerful things you can do.

That’s why every piece of art, every piece of jewelry, every book, and every video we create is infused with that exact energy. We want whatever leaves our hands to feel like a warm hug for your soul.

Keep Shining, You Beautiful Humans!

A hand-drawn illustration of a joyful stick figure with arms raised, sitting in a puddle while raindrops fall. The text above reads 'Be Happy...' and below, it says '...Not because everything is good, BUT because you can see THE good in EVERYTHING.'

The world doesn’t need more noise, judgment, or doom-scrolling. It needs you, your unique light, your creative spark, your kindness, and your good vibes.

So next time the noise of the world tries to weigh you down, take a deep breath, shake off the bad energy, and go do something that brings you joy. Make art, dance in your kitchen, tell someone you appreciate them, or wear something that reminds you of how awesome life can be.

Thank you for being part of our journey and for helping us spread a little more light into the world. We love you guys! Now go out there and make today amazing!

Speaking of Good Vibes… Klee’s 6-Year Labor of Love is FINALLY Here!

A selection of wooden accent beads displayed for customization.

We couldn’t be more excited to share something we’ve been keeping under wraps!

For over six years, Klee has been holding onto a dream. She wanted to create something deeply grounding, beautifully handcrafted, and overflowing with intentional positive energy, and after endless searching, planning, and waiting for the absolute perfect ethical suppliers, the moment has finally arrived!

We are officially running our Good Vibes Sale, featuring Klee’s brand new Sacred Palo Santo Bracelets!

A wooden bead bracelet featuring alternating light and dark wooden beads, with one shiny gold bead, displayed on a piece of driftwood.

Even cooler? We set up special Pre-Order Bundles where you can grab a bracelet along with a limited-edition Giclée Fine Art Print from me (Rafi), plus a free Palo Santo stick to keep your space feeling fresh and light!

Get a Good Vibes Palo Santo Bracelet, and a free Palo Santo Stick (for burning away the bad vibes), and some Rafi Art To Brighten Your day. All of that for only $45 – $60. Patreon get’s an extra 15% discount starting tomorrow.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR GOOD VIBES PRE-ORDER SALE

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I’m Fine, It’s Fine, Everything Is Fine, I’m Totally Fine

Hey everyone, Rafi here. The story I’m about to share is not an example of what you should aspire to. In fact, I suggest not being like me at all. I’ve spent the last two weeks engaged in a wrestling match with a persistent, annoying cough that’s currently making the rounds. Apparently, this cough didn’t get the memo that I have things to do.

Last week, it finally sent me over the edge. The doctor handed me antibiotics, and in my infinite optimism, I thought, “Great! I’ll be back to 100% by lunch.” I did the responsible thing: I canceled my meetings, put my art projects on hold, and essentially transformed into a potato. I was pretty out of it for most of the week.

A man wearing a bandana and glasses smiles next to a woman with short hair and glasses, both standing in front of a display of framed artworks at an exhibition.

By Friday, I felt a glimmer of life. Klee and I drove down to Corry to judge an art show. The town is adorable, and the Corry Arts Guild is doing some truly incredible work. We had a blast meeting everyone and seeing the talent there… right up until my internal battery hit 0% and we had to high-tail it home.

Naturally, I took this “out of steam” feeling as a sign that I should rest. That’s what a sane person would do. However, on Saturday, I woke up, decided I was “better,” and headed into the yard to do much needed yard work. Pro tip: If you are on antibiotics, just rest. I ended up in a total physical shutdown. You might be thinking, that I realized my foul ways and decided that rest was a priority… nope.

A person lying on a couch with a smiley face plush head, wearing a gray jacket and blue jeans, with their arms crossed.

Despite my body waving a white flag, the week kept moving because, apparently, I can’t say no:

  • The 80ft Mural: Met with the Southside Neighborhood Association about the “Laugh and Play” park. We’re working on a grant to repair that massive wall and bring a new mural to life. Fingers crossed!
  • The Elks Club: Another meeting, another mural, and another grant application. I’m basically a grant form-filler at this point.
  • The Classroom: Monday rolled around and I felt wrecked, but duty called. We spent the day making art with some awesome kids. It’s hard to feel sick when you’re surrounded by that much creative energy.
  • Mural Fest Chaos: In between coughing fits, I’ve been organizing Mural Fest. I’m currently neck-deep in sponsorship forms, artist applications, and drawing up plans to build the “Mural Monoliths.” It’s going to be massive, provided I stay upright long enough to see it through.
  • The Night Market: Met with Anna to finalize details for the Oil City Night Market application, logistics, and marketing. Night market is going to be awesome, but at this point, I need to step back.
A teacher demonstrating a project at the front of a classroom, with students seated at tables observing. Art supplies are visible on the tables, and a blackboard with 'Cards for Art Show' written on it is in the background.
Playground with a colorful mural reading 'LAUGH & PLAY', featuring a slide and climbing structure, and a group of people standing nearby.

Something interesting happened while being sick this long that I’ve never really faced before. Maybe it’s because I’m usually always on the move, but my insecurity started to flare up big time. I started thinking I was being boring or a total burden to Klee because I was sidelined. I felt like I was letting everyone down and that I’d somehow lost all my credibility because I couldn’t “do it all” right now.

Because we talk about everything, I brought this up to Klee. She looked at me and said, “No way. You are not a burden and you are definitely never boring.” Then she added something that hit me: “However, I do feel like you do A LOT. So, when you rest, I finally get to rest.”

Turns out, my forced pit stop was actually a breather for both of us.

A person is lying on a couch, covered with an orange blanket, with their face partially hidden, surrounded by pillows.

By Tuesday afternoon, the cough returned with a vengeance while I worked on designs for a new art series I will debut in a September exhibition.

Mind you, I was still on the first round of antibiotics. I spent Wednesday meeting with a wonderful friend and collector who drove into town for a commission, then I pivoted back to the “Grant-Writing-Exhibition-Planning-September-Series-Designing” vortex. Oh, and I had to coordinate the closing for the exhibition at the Exchange.

Last night, my lungs decided they weren’t finished complaining. Back to the doctor I went, and I’ve now been leveled up to “Stronger Antibiotics: Phase 2.”

The moral? “I feel better” or “I’m fine” is a lie told by the part of your brain jar that just wants you to get off the couch so it can collapse in a more interesting location. When your body tells you to sit or lay down, it’s not a suggestion, it’s a mandate. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you certainly can’t build a Mural Monolith if you’re hacking up a lung every three minutes.

A man with a beard and glasses takes a selfie in a meeting room, with other attendees in the background, some appearing engaged and others distracted.

My Advice to You (I need to start listening to myself)

Listen to your internal “check engine” light. If you try to power through a physical shutdown with work, projects, meetings, and grant writing, your body will eventually take the keys away and lock you in the bedroom. Rest isn’t “lost time,” it’s an investment so you don’t end up on the “Stronger Antibiotics” like I did.

The good news? The grants are moving forward, the Mural Fest plans are solidifying, and the September series is looking incredible in my congested head. I am officially surrendering to the couch for the rest of the week, armed with my new meds and a lot of hot soup. I’ll be back at the easel soon, fully recharged and hopefully cough-free.

Stay healthy out there, and for the love of art, if you get sick, just stay in bed.

Much love, Rafi

STAY TUNED! NEW GIVEAWAY COMING SOON!

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Life, Love, and the Beauty of Shared Madness

When Klee and I met in 2009, there was a spark—a universe-altering moment that, if you blinked, you might have missed. Except we didn’t miss it. We jumped in headfirst, feet never touching the ground. Within weeks, we were on the road, leaving behind everything we knew for a life we couldn’t quite define but felt in our bones. People called it crazy. Honestly, they weren’t wrong, but it was the best kind of crazy—the kind that makes life worth living.

This week, while Klee healed and started getting her energy back, I dug through some old files and stumbled across pictures of us in our Florida studio. The photographer (Kristian Breeze) asked us to “just be ourselves,” and these snapshots are proof we took that direction seriously. It’s just us—playful, weird, and totally in love with life and each other. We had already been together eight years when those photos were taken. Eight years of creating, dreaming, failing spectacularly, dusting ourselves off, and trying again.

Looking at those photos reminded me how extraordinary this journey has been. Neither of us knew what would happen when we packed up that truck all those years ago. We only knew one thing: we were all in. Together.

If I had listened to my head back then, none of this would have happened. My head had all the reasons why this was a terrible idea. It had a checklist of why leaving my old corporate life behind, taking risks, and chasing what felt right in my gut was doomed to fail. My head was also telling me that it wasn’t a good idea to get into a relationship at this time. My head had a lot of warnings, and some of them even made sense. But my heart and my gut? They knew better.

When my mom said, “You found someone who is your kind of crazy,” I thought she was joking. But she wasn’t. She was right. I leap before I look. I barrel into projects I have no business starting because some voice inside whispers, You’ll figure it out. And I do. But it’s only because Klee is there rooting for me (no matter how insane my ideas are)—my partner, my best friend, and quite possibly the most amazing human I’ve ever met.

These last few months have been tough. Watching her go through health struggles has been hard, but I’ve been amazed by her strength, her quiet determination, and her ability to stay hopeful, even when things seemed uncertain. I’ve thought a lot about how much she’s impacted my life, how much better the world feels with her in it, and how grateful I am that we found each other.

Your heart doesn’t deal in logic; it speaks the language of passion and purpose. Your gut doesn’t care about the odds; it’s tuned into something deeper—something that tells you where you’re meant to go, even if it doesn’t make sense on paper.

Following your heart and gut doesn’t mean you won’t fail. Oh, you will. Trust me, we’ve failed a lot. But it’s through those failures that we’ve built the life we have now—one filled with art, music, community, love, and memories we wouldn’t trade for anything.

To our community—our tribe of beautiful, creative, supportive humans who love us and our art—you’ve made this journey even more incredible. Whether you’ve cheered us on from the sidelines, joined our Patreon, or simply sent us good vibes when we needed them most, you’ve been a part of our story. Thank you for believing in us, for laughing with us, for showing up.

Klee is eager to get back into the studio next week. We still have a long healing road ahead, but we’re on it together, and that’s what matters.

So here’s the food for thought I promised: Sometimes your head will try to talk you out of the very thing your soul is calling you to do. It will give you reasons, statistics, and worst-case scenarios. But your heart and your gut? They’ll whisper truths that logic can’t touch. Trust them. Trust yourself. Because the best adventures—the ones that lead to love, creativity, and the kind of life you’ll look back on with a smile—don’t come from playing it safe. They come from leaping into the unknown and trusting you’ll figure it out along the way.

Stay weird, stay wonderful, and follow your heart. The horizon is waiting.

With love and gratitude,
Rafi (and Klee, who will be back to feeling awesome in no time)

STAY TUNED! NEW GIVEAWAY COMING SOON!